Cook the diced bacon in a skillet until it is browned and fully cooked, then lift it out and set it aside. The pieces should look crisp around the edges and leave flavorful bacon fat behind in the pan.

Add the sliced onion, crushed garlic, and ground/minced beef to the skillet and cook until the beef is thoroughly done, then season with salt and pepper and stir in the cream cheese. The onions should soften, the garlic should smell savory, and the cream cheese should melt through the meat instead of sitting in lumps.

Drain off the excess grease, then spread the beef mixture in a casserole dish and scatter the cooked bacon over the top. The meat layer should look moist but not oily, which helps the finished bake stay thick rather than watery.

Whisk together the eggs, heavy whipping cream, 100 g shredded/grated cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper, then pour the mixture over the beef and bacon. The sauce should look smooth, loose, and evenly speckled with cheese, like a pourable savory custard.

Arrange the sliced dill gherkin pickles across the top and finish with the remaining 50 g shredded/grated cheese. The pickles should sit evenly over the surface so each serving gets a little tangy bite.

Bake at 180C/350F for 15 minutes, then serve with salad and 1-minute mayonnaise. When it is ready, the cheddar on top will be bubbling and golden with crisp spots around the edges.